Device with adjustable bearings for opening envelopes



i j 1-9-52 w. T. BUCKENS 96,467

DEVICE WITH ADJUSTABLE BEARINGS FOR OENING ENVELOPES Filed July 12, 1950 r Rpm k m H am wi I W i? 22 4A ISnuentor m'ZZ/am 7. 322 1% QQAM (Ittorneg s Patented May 13, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE DEVICEWITH ADJUSTABLE BEARINGS FOR OPENING ENVELOPES 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a cutting device and more particularly to a cutting device with adjustable bearings for opening letter envelopes and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a device which is simple in construction, easy to make, assemble, adjust and operate.

In carrying out this objectl provide a base having a slot therein in which a rotary cutter is positioned. A feature of this arrangement resides in the fact that the front of the slot constitutes the fixed blade for the cutter.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the arrangement wherein the rotary cutter is mounted in adjustable-bearings whereby the cutter can be fixedly adjusted intoengagement with the front edge of the slot to maintain the proper cutting relation therewith.

The rotary cutter is normally returned to a starting position by a'torsion spring. Afurther feature of the invention resides in employing the connection of the torsion spring to the rotary cutter as the means for limiting the rotation of the rotary cutter in either direction.

Because of the simplicity of the structure most of the parts may be made from sheet metal .stampings which can be readily assembled so as to provide a relatively inexpensive cutting device. If desired, a tray may be detachably mounted on the undersurface of the base to receive the cut edges of the envelope.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims when considered in connection with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the envelope opening device.

Fig. 2 shows a bottom view of the device with the tray removed.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bearing taken along line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In the herein illustrated preferred form of the invention the cutting device includes a base l comprising side walls II and a top l2. The top is provided with a slot 13, Fig. 2, which extends transversely thereof for substantially the full Width of the base. The front edge l3a of the slot, as will be described, constitutes the fixed blade of the cutter. Adjacent each end of the slot there is stamped out a pair of elongate open transverse bearing portions [4. These bearing portions are longer in the direction of the slot than the diameter of the roller to be carried therein so as to permit adjustment of the roller as will be presently described.

The rotary cutter comprises a cylindrical member is having a broad relatively shallow spiral out It milled in its surface for substantially the length thereof to provide a cutting edge Ilia and leaving cylindrical bearing surfaces ll adjacent each end to rest in bearing portions hi. One end of the roller also has a stub shaft I8 extending therefrom to which a handle I9 is secured for rotating the cutter. Adjacent each end of the rotary cutter is positioned an upper or cap bearing 21) having a bearing surface 21 shaped to snugly engage the cylindrical end portions ll of the rotary cutter. These bearing members are secured to the top of the base to overlie the elongate bearing portions I t by means of bolts 22 passing through enlarged openings 23 in the top and threaded into the bearing member as shown in Fig. 3. By this arrangement it will be seen that the upper bearings may be adjusted toward the front edge !3a of the slot to position the rotary cutter in engagement with the front edge of the slot to cooperate with the fixed blade formed thereby to sever the edge of an envelope placed in contact with the cutter.

By utilizing the front edge of the slot great savings can be accomplished in that separate fixed blades are not required. If the gauge of the metal from which the base is stamped is sufficiently heavy the cutting edge need not be reenforced to withstand the cutting pressures. However, where a light gauge metal is used it may be desirable to employ a reenforcing member 24 which may be secured to the undersurface by the front bolts fastening the bearings 20 in position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In the preferred form of the invention the rotary cutter is returned to its original starting position in which the milled portion of the rotary cutter faces the front edge to permit the envelope to be inserted with the edge in abutting relation with the bottom of the milled portion of the rotary cutter. This is accomplished according to the illustrated form of the invention by a flat torsion spring 25 having one end connected by means of a bracket 26 to the undersurface of the base. The other end is connected by a bolt 21 to the rotary cutter. The connection of this latter end to the cutter is so arranged to also perform a stop function in that the head of the bolt 21 will engage the undersurfaces of the top adjacent each edge of the slot and thus limit the rotation of the cutter member in either direction of operation.

If desired a cover can be provided for the rotary cutter. As herein illustrated it comprises a sheet metal member 28 having tongues 28a along the edges thereof which pass through openings 29 lanced in the top and are folded over as shown in Fig. 2 to lock the cover in place. The cover has along the front edge a slot 30 p sitioned adjacent the base and through which the envelopes supported on the top 52 may be moved into severing relation with the cutting elements to have an edge removed.

If desired, a tray may be provided to receive the cut edges of the envelopes. This comprises a sheet metal tray member 31 positioned under the top of the base with its side walls Sla frictionally engaging the side walls of the base so that it may be readily snapped from underneath the base when it is desired to empty the same. In the illustrated form of the invention this member is provided with rubber feet 32 to support the envelope cutter on the desk without marring the surface of the desk.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple yet efficient envelope opening means including a minimum of parts which may be easily and quickly manufactured and assembled and which includes accurate fixed adjustments for the rotary cutter in its relation to the fixed cutting blade and also includes novel and simplified means for limiting the extent of rotation of the rotary cutter.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. In an envelope cutting machine as described, the combination of a base having a slot therein and open transversely extending bearings adjacent the ends of the slot, said bearings being elongated in a direction transversely of said slot; a rotary cutter positioned in the slot with the ends thereof mounted in the bearings, the front edge of the slot forming a fixed blade to cooperate with the rotary cutter to provide an envelope severing means; cap bearing members for the cutter adjustably mounted on the base to overlie the elongate bearings and fixedly adjustable to maintain the rotary cutter in engagement with said fixed blade; and means for rotating the cutter.

2. In an envelope cutting machine as described, the combination of a base having a slot therein and open transversely extending bearings adjacent the ends of the slot, said bearings being elongated in a direction transverse- 1y of said slot; a rotary cutter positioned in the slot with the ends thereof mounted in the bearings, the front edge of the slot forming a fixed blade to cooperate with the rotary cutter to provide an envelope severing means; cap bearing members for the cutter adjustably mounted on the base to overlie the elongate bearings and fixedly adjustable to maintain the rotary cutter in engagement with said fixed blade; a torsion spring having one end connected to the base and the other end connected to the rotary cutter to return the cutter to starting position, the connection of the spring to the rotary cutter projecting beyond the periphery of the cutter and engaging the edges of the slot to limit rotation of the cutter in either direction of rotation; and manually operable means for rotating between either of said limits.

WILLIAM T. BUCKENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 388,343 Curtis Aug. 21, 1888 434,088 Lispenard Aug. 12, 1890 530,920 Blomgren Dec. 18, 1894 1,098,510 Krauth June 2, 1914 1,300,792 Washburne Apr. 15, 1919 1,302,398 Mangini Apr. 29, 1919 1,371,843 Blist Mar. 15, 1921 2,307,618 Brown Jan. 5,1943 2,368,790 Unger Feb. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 134,728 Great Britain Nov. 13, 1919 591,786 France Apr. 17, 1925 290,054 Italy Nov. 6, 1931 621,186 Great Britain Apr. 5, 1949 

